Henry Petty, 1st Earl of Shelburne facts for kids
Henry Petty, 1st Earl of Shelburne (born October 22, 1675 – died April 17, 1751) was an important person from both England and Ireland. He was a politician who served in the British Parliament, known as the House of Commons, from 1715 to 1727. He also held a special position in the government of Ireland, being part of the Irish Privy Council.
Early Life and Family
Henry Petty was the younger son of Sir William Petty, a famous scientist and economist. His mother was Elizabeth, Baroness Shelburne. In 1696, Henry inherited his family's lands after his older brother, Charles Petty, 1st Baron Shelburne, passed away. He also bought more land near a town called Wycombe in England.
A Career in Politics
Henry Petty began his political journey in Ireland.
- From 1692 to 1693, he was elected to the Irish House of Commons for a place called Midleton. The Irish House of Commons was like a parliament for Ireland at that time.
- Then, from 1695 to 1699, he represented County Waterford in the same parliament.
In 1699, a special title called the "Barony of Shelburne" was given to him. This title had previously belonged to his older brother but had ended when his brother died. Two years later, he became a member of the Irish Privy Council. This was a group of important advisors to the ruler of Ireland.
Later, Henry Petty became a member of the British House of Commons, which is the main parliament in Britain.
- He represented Great Marlow from 1715 to 1722.
- After that, he represented Wycombe from 1722 to 1727.
In 1719, he received even higher honors. He was given the titles of Viscount Dunkerron and Earl of Shelburne within the Peerage of Ireland. These were important noble titles.
Family Life
In 1699, Lord Shelburne married Arabella, who was the daughter of Charles Boyle, 3rd Viscount Dungarvan. They had one daughter named Anne. Anne later married Francis Bernard, who lived in a place called Castle Bernard.
The Countess of Shelburne passed away in October 1740. Lord Shelburne lived for another eleven years and died in April 1751, when he was 75 years old. Since he had no sons, his noble titles ended with him. His lands and properties went to his nephew, John FitzMaurice. John FitzMaurice later changed his last name to Petty. In 1753, the title of Earl of Shelburne was given again, this time to John FitzMaurice.
